23 April 2007

i did the salt lake 5k on saturday with my girlfriends. we had come up with this idea mid-february and have been working towards our goal ever since, spurts of motivation came and went, but in the end we all did it and i am very proud of us. it was a bitty baby 3 mile run, which is labeled by some as a 'walk in the park'. though for me, never having done any sort of race before, it was somewhat of a small feat.

it was freezing, dark + early (and a saturday). but i have to admit, i was giddy with anticipation, i was singing like a rooster when i showed up at five am on emily's doorstep. we had a wonderful time, laughing our guts out. at the starting line, i began wondering why we had paid for this bizarre-freezing-crowded-smushed together with the masses activity. once we got going though, i began to feel the sun rise and understand the whole meaning of this community effort. running for a good cause.. ourselves. it felt good to make a goal and follow through with it. it felt good to see volunteers holding out cups of water. it felt good to be running downtown, in the town i live, work and play. the downtown i know so well. it felt good to be proud of my health and push my body towards a more fit + healthy lifestyle. yes, it was one small step, but i started to see the vision.

after crossing the finish line, a smile inevitably crossed my face. seeing my dan smile and cheer me on was an exceptional feeling. plus everyone treated us like queens.. free bananas, free power drinks, free snickers marathon bars (the best bar next to my personal fave, the Lemon Zest Luna), free chocolate creamies, free pizza, free buffalo wings. (honestly, they were handing out buffalo wings!) i couldn't really see myself gobble down a buffalo wing.. sure i'd just run three miles, but did i really need to 're-fuel' my body with spicy buffalo wings at eight in the morning?! it was a most fabulous experience. and i am happy we did it girls.

running past pioneer park, nearing the finish line i thought of my dad and going to the Farmer's Market with him. every saturday in the summer there is an incredible selection of plump, juicy, fresh fruits & vegetables. and he is always the first in line. you see, he is the real rooster in the family and wakes up at the crack of dawn and has done so ever since i can remember. so, naturally when the market vendors set up their booths, my dad is there smiling. i love that about him. can't wait for summer. more sunshine, more delicious fruit & more sunny morning runs.

I have enjoyed reading your blog lately. A big congratulations on crossing that finish line! Great job & WooHoo! There is something exhilarating about running in an organized race. Maybe a half (or full) marathon is in your future!

Wonderful! I love SLC and the Farmers Market at Pioneer Park. I used to live on 300 North and it was so fun to walk Memory Grove and see Sen. Hatch on one of his power walks with one of his aides chasing him. He always had a big smile on. I loved to walk down to the Gardens at Temple Square with a brown bag lunch. I loved working out at the Deseret Gym... a bunch of characters there everyday. There were lots of fun places to walk to in the city.

You really missed out on the hot wings. Of course after finishing the race at 7:00 a.m., I didn't really feel like a hot wing either. However, if there is one lesson I have learned in life it is this: when someone is handing out free hot wings you TAKE them!

i'm excited that i can finally relate to this post. woohoo! it sure does feel like a feat, no matter how small. i love that you said you wondered why you paid for it at first.. i remember having that exact thought as i waited at the starting line! and then, by the time i reached the end, that thought was long gone.

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